


Offerings To The Dread Wolf

by AngelusLorelei



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-22
Updated: 2020-01-22
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:00:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22365277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngelusLorelei/pseuds/AngelusLorelei
Summary: My idea of what happens when Lavellan finds the Shrine to Fen'Harel in the Exalted Plains
Relationships: Female Lavellan/Solas
Comments: 4
Kudos: 31





	Offerings To The Dread Wolf

**Author's Note:**

> Cerys is my rogue elvish Inquisitor. Her name is Welsh and I've been told it means "love." On the other hand, Wikipedia notes that Cerys is, "A welsh name for a troll/gremlin like creature from caerphilly, Wales who chases people out of kitchens with broken glass bottles, broom handles and sharp knifes."
> 
> Either way, it suits her perfectly.

Cerys swatted a fly and cursed. They’d been mucking their way through this swamp for over  two hour s and still no Snowy Wyvern. She cracked her neck and glanced at her party in her peripheral vision. If they could just find a slightly dry spot, they could take a quick rest.

“That way.”

Cerys didn’t even jump when Cole appeared at her elbow and pointed north. While she knew that some in her inner circle still feared the spirit, she’d become very fond of him. And moments like this only increased her affection for him. Cerys began walking in the direction Cole indicated with Solas and Iron Bull following behind. Within ten minutes they came upon what appeared to be a broken bridge. Cerys climbed up and sat down taking a drink from her water skein.

“What’s that Boss?”

Cerys turned to see what Bull was pointing at. Ah, a shrine. Getting up, Cerys moved to get a better look.

“A Dalish shrine.” Solas intoned, “Far from the others, strange.”

Cerys shook her head with a slight smile, “Not so strange. It’s a shrine to Fen’Harel.”

Gently Cerys brushed her hand over the  altar . It was filthy. She frowned. 

“It’s been a long time since anyone has visited this one.”

“Running, gasping for breath. They are coming!” Cole cocked his head, “The war and the demons drove them away. You’re going to fix it?”

Cerys took off her armored gloves and nodded. “Not much I can do right now but, I’ll come back for it.”

“I thought your people hated The Dread Wolf.” Iron Bull turned his head so he could watch the swamp while Cerys had her back to it.

“Fear. Hate. All tangled together.” Cole intoned, “But free, flying, falling. She seeks the wolves. A sword, sharp, a scream. Afan no!”

Cerys felt her shoulders tense. Cole then said, “You couldn’t save them but… it wasn’t your fault. He was scared and angry. Your Keeper punished him.”

Cerys began to scrub at the  altar with a vengeance, “She didn’t punish him enough.”

The qunari, the elven mage, and the spirit waited quietly for her then. Cerys managed to rinse off a large amount of the muck and scrub the stones clean with handfuls of sand. Wiping her  brow, she took a respectful step back.

“ _ Ir abalas  _ Fen’Harel .  I’m going to clear the old offerings now. But I will bring you something  new. Better I hope.”

“You would leave an offering to The Dread Wolf?”

Cerys glanced at Solas briefly , acknowledging his question before starting to clear the debris from the  altar .

“I have in the past. It is not popular, or something commonly done, but not all the Dalish hate The Dread Wolf.”

After a pause Cerys  continued,  “Only Fen’Harel could walk without fear among both the Creators and the Forgotten Ones. For although he is kin to the gods of The People, the Forgotten Ones knew of his cunning and saw him as one of their own.”

She paused smiling, “A god who can walk unseen among both his enemies and friends. A god of cunning and tricks. I think a god like that would rather be acknowledged than ignored. Only a fool ignores someone who could ruin them.”

“But you are not afraid of him.”

“I suppose not Cole.” Cerys agreed, “I have a healthy respect for him. Like… like a dragon. Dragons are dangerous but they are also beautiful. Perfect hunters and predators. Only a fool ignores a high dragon. But if the dragon does not attack me, I will not attack them.”

Finished at last, Cerys reached into her pack and pulled out a bottle. It was the bottle of Finale she had found earlier in t he day. Using her knife, she pulled out the cork. With a deep nod to the altar, Cerys took a sip and then poured some into a cup. She arranged the cup on the altar and turned to her friends.

“Since it’s open?”

“Now we’re talking Boss!” Iron Bull began rummaging in his pack for a cup.

Cerys turned to Solas and nearly took a step back at the intensity in his eyes. Then he blinked and he seemed himself again.

“How can I refuse considering the circumstances?”

But rather than search for a cup in his pack, he reached around Cerys to the altar. Toasting the howling wolves carved into the stone, Solas drank deeply. He replaced the cup on the altar and leaning close he whispered in Cerys’s ear,

“Better to drink it in honor then leave it to attract vermin.”

Cerys shivered and heat pooled in her belly at his tone. Blushing she turned away to offer the bottle to Iron Bull. But before Bull could take a drink, Cole pointed and exclaimed,

“There!”

Cerys saw the scaly hide and flash of white and smiled, drawing her blades.  It seemed the Dread Wolf smiled on her, she had found her prey after all. 

**Author's Note:**

> The Bottles of Thedas Codex reads: "Finale By Massaad; The last bottling from the legendary vintners of Ferelden before lands were divided. Tears on the glass as slow as the turning of a reluctant heir, as quick on the tongue as words that can't be unsaid." It can be found in the Exalted Plains.


End file.
